Enclosed venetian blind



June 26, 1951 E. KRUMM 2,557,978

ENCLOSED VENETIAN BLIND Filed Dec. 28, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y I v 5 3/ 522/4 Z. A Rz/MM away/um June 26, 1951 E. L. KRUMM 2,557,978

ENCLOSED VENETIAN BLIND 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 28, 1945 Patented June 26, 1951 N UNITED STATESPATENT' ()FFICEF Elza L. Krumm, St. Louis, Mo.

Application December 28, 1945 Serial No. 637,622

10 Claims. (Cl. 160-34) enclosing window casing or other encasement.-

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear throughout the following specification and claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevational view;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the casing partly in section illustrating the various operating cords;

Figure 3 is a transversesectional view through the casing taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line B-6 of Figure 1;

Figure '7 is an enlarged sectional view through the casing illustrating the locking mechanism for the raising and lowering cord;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of a modified form of the invention illustrating a means for operating the tilt and also the cord lock for the elevating mechanism of the slats of the blind by means of a single operating knob;

Figure 9 is a front elevational view of a series of slats illustrating a special type of connecting link;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of a slat and links illustrating the connection therefor;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the stop which limits the swing of the links to the slats;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of one of the slats illustrating the connecting journal for attaching the links to the slats;

' Figure 13 is an edge elevational view of one of the slats illustrating the connecting links attached thereto;

Figure 14 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through one edge of one slat and illustrating the connection between the slat and links.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that In designates the casing which is provided with a front glass panel I l and a rear glass panel l2 to provide a Venetianblind-enclosing casing to protect the blind from becoming dirty.- The casing i0 is provided with apair of vertical side rails [3 having a vertical channel constituting a trackway I4 upon the inner face thereof. The slats I5 which hang below the top slat [6 of the blind is each provided with an axle I! at the opposite ends thereof. A roller [8 is carried by each axle I! for slidably supporting the slats rela i tiveto'the channels 14. These slats l6 are con-'- nected together and to the top slat [B by means of the conventional tapes I9.

The top slat l 6 is J'ournaled at each end at the I top of the casing I0, as at 20, and 2|, and a pulley wheel 22 is carried by the outer end f the journal 2| at the outside of the casing II], as shown in Figure 2. A pulley wheel 23 is journaled at the lower end of the casing l0 below and in alignment with the pulley wheel. 22. An operating cord 23 passes over the pulley wheels Hand 23 for rotating the top slat 16 when the slide 24 is shifted. An operating knob 25 is carried by the slide 24 and extends outwardly of the casing Ill, through the slot 26. A spring-pressed friction lock 21 is carried by the slide 24 and engages the inner face of the casing Ill to hold the slide 24 in an adjusted position. The inner face of the casing I0 is provided with a suitable socket 28 in which the lock 21 fits to releasably hold the slide in a selected or lowered position. As the slide 24 is raised or lowered the top slat I6 is tilted at the desired angle, therebyalso tilting the slats I5 at a similar angle, due to the fact that all of the slats 'l5 and the bottom slat [5 are connected to the top slat It by the tapes l9.

The slat l6 and also the slats l5 are provided with the conventional apertures 29 through which the lifting cords 30 pass. These cord: 38 are connected at their lower ends to the bottom slat [5 in the conventional manner so that all of the slats may be raised or lowered by th operation of the cords 30. These cords 30 pass over the pulleys 3| at the top of the casing It and are connected to a pull-cord 32. The pullcord 32 passes over a pulley 33 down the outside of the casing Ill, over a pulley 34 at the bottom 'of the casing Ill, through the cord-grip 35, over the pulley 36 in the front and top of the casing [9. The end 31 of the cord 32 hangs down 'in'front of the casing l0 and is provided with a stop-bead 38 to limit the movement of the end 31' in one direction and prevent the cord from moving too far into the casing It. The

opening in the casing through which the cord 32 passes and all other exposed openings may be calked if desired, with a suitable packing to keep out dust, etc., and at the same time permit the parts to properly operate. A suitable handle 39 is carried by the lower extremity of the end 31 of the cord 32.

The cord grip 35 comprises an anchored toothed plate 40 and a pivoted lever M which is connected at it slower end with a push-knc' 42. The lever 4| is provided with a hook-shaped upper'end 43 which terminates in a rounded nose 44 over which the cord 32 may freely slide. The under face of the hook-shaped end 43 opposite the toothed plate 40 is provided with series of opposed teeth 45. The teeth 45 are ar ranged in staggered relation relative to the teeth on the plate 40. The cord 32" passes between the teeth of the plate 40 and the teeth 45 of the lever 4| so that the cord 32 will be normally gripped between the plate 40 and the lever 4| to hold the cord 32 against movement. A tension spring 46 located below the pivot 41 of the lever 41 nor-- mally swings the upper end of the lever 4| toward the plate 40 to grip and lock the cord '32 in pos' tion. The lever 4! may be released from a gripping position by pressing inwardly upon the pushknob 42. When pressure is released from th knob 42, the lever 4! will automatically swing to a locking position to hold the blind in an ad justed position. However, when the end 31 of the cord 32 is pulled to raise the blind, the cord 32 tends to become straight, bringing pressure against the rounded end 44 of lever 4 l which re leases lever 4i from a gripping position. It is not necessary to touch the push-knob 42 when raising the blind.

To lower the blind, pressure on the push-knob 42 is sufiicient. The blind will drop of its own weight. Varying pressure on the knob 42 will lower the blind any desired distance, from an inch to its full length.

In Figure 8 there is shown a modified form of the invention illustrating a mechanism of com bining the functions of knobs 35 and 42 shown in Figure 1. In Figure 8, 48 designates the casing or support in which is slidably mounted a slide 24 having a spring-pressed friction lock 25 similar to the friction lock 2'l, shown in Figure 5. This slide 24* is connected to the cord 23 Similar to the cord 23 for tilting the slats as the slide 24 is raised and lowered. A reciprocating knob or push-button 49 is slidably mounted through the slide 24 and is normally held in a retracted position by means of a suitable spring 50 carried at the end of the knob or button 49. A vertically-extending lever of the elevating cord-grip 52, similar to the grip 35, is pivoted as at 53, for gripping the elevating cord 32 similar .to the cord 32. A shield plate 54 is located between the knob 49 and the lower end of the lever 5i. An aperture 55 is formed in the plate 54 adjacent the lower end of the lever 5!.

The slats may be tilted by sliding the slide upwardly or downwardly. When it is desired to raise the blind, the pull upon the cord 32 in manner similar to that described with respect to cord 32, will swing the lever 51 to a disengaging position. In other words, tension of the cord against the rounded nose of the lever 5|, cause? by a pull on the end of the cord 32 will cause the cord-grip 52 to disengage the cord 32.

In Figures 9 to 14 inclusive, there is illustrated a method of supporting the Venetian blind slats with a system of links in place of the usual cloth tape. It will be noted that the slats 56 of the blind are connected by means of a series of pivoted links 51, a pair of links connecting the adjoining slats of the blind, as shown in Figure 9. The links are pivoted, as at 58, and are provided with a suitable stop 59 to limit the swing of the links in one direction. Each slat is provided with a notch 60 along one edge in which is mounted a longitudinal journal 6], the journal 5! carrying the pivot 58 for the links thereby permitting the slats 56 to tilt as shown in Figure 13, when desired, and also permitting the links 51 to swing relative to each other. In constructing the blind, the slats 56 are preferablr suspended below a top slat similar to the slat I6 so that the slats 56 may be tilted as the slat I6 is tilted.

Having described the claimed is:

1. A Venetian blind assembly of the class de-- scribed comprising a casing having transparent inner and outer panels, a slatted blind hung in said casing, a slat-tilting mechanism for tilting the slats from a position outside of the easing, an elevating mechanism for raising and lowering the slats of the blind operable from the outside of said casing, locking means located within the casing and engaging the elevating mechanism for locking the elevating mechanism in a selected position, and means extending through the casing and engaging said last mentioned means for operating said locking means exteriorly of said casing.

2. A Venetian blind assembly of the class described comprising a casing, a slatted blind hung in said casing, a tilting cable for tilting the slats, a slide carried by the casing and connected to the cable, and means for holding the slide in a selected adjusted position.

3. A Venetian blind assembly of the class described comprising a casing, a slatted blind hung in said casing, a tilting cable for tilting the slats, a slide carried by the casing and connected to the cable, and a spring-pressed friction lock interposed between the casing and the slide for holding the slide in a selected adjusted position.

4. A Venetian blind assembly of the class de scribed comprising a casing, a slatted blind hung in said casing, a tilting cable for tilting the slats, a slide carried by the casing and connected to the cable, a spring-pressed friction lock interposed between the casing and the slide for holding the slide in a selected adjusted position, and an operating knob carried by the slide and extending through said casing for facilitating the operation of the slide from a point outside of the casing.

5. A device of the class described comprising an enclosed casing, a slatted blind mounted therein, an elevating cable for raising and lowering the slatted blind, a cable lock comprising a fixed toothed member and a pivoted toothed member, the cable passing between the toothed members, releasable means for normally holding the pivoted member in a cable-locking position, a releasing means engageable with the pivoted member and extending outwardly of the casing for releasing said pivoted member from the cable, and said pivoted member having an overhanging rounded nose over which said cable passes for facilitating the sliding of the cable over the pivoted member when the pivoted member is moved to a releasing position.

6. A device of the class described comprising invention, what is an enclosed casing, a slatted blind carried by the casing, a tilting cable for tilting the slats, an elevating cable for elevating the slats, a slide mounted in the casing connected to the tilting cable, a friction lock for holding the slide in a selected position, a cable lock for the elevating cable, and a plunger carried by the slide and movable against said cable lock for moving and releasing the cable lock.

7. A device of the class described comprising an enclosed casing, a slatted blind carried by the casing, a tilting cable for tilting the slats, an elevating cable for elevating the slats, a slide mounted in the casing connected to the tilting cable, a friction lock for holding the slide in a selected position, a fixed toothed elevating cableengaging member, a pivoted locking lever having a hooked-shaped end having teeth on its under face, said cable extending between the teeth of the fixed member and pivoted lever, means for normally holding the lever in a cable-gripping position, and a plunger carried by the slide and engageable with the lever for moving said lever to a disengaging position.

8. A Venetian blind comprising a plurality of slats, pivoted connecting links securing the slats together, means for limiting the pivotal movement of the links relative to each other in one direction, means for pivotally connecting the links to the slats, said last mentioned means comprising a journal the axis of which extends longitudinally of its suporting slat to facilitate tilting of the slats at right angles to said links, and said journal carrying at right angles thereto the pivot of said links,

9. A Venetian blind comprising a plurality of slats, pivoted connecting links securing the slats together, means for limiting the pivotal move- 6 ment of the links relative to each other in one direction, means for pivotally connecting the links to the slats, .said last mentioned means comprising a journal the axis of which extends longitudinally of its supporting slat to facilitate tilting of the slats at right angles to said links, said journal carrying at right angles thereto the pivot of said links, and each slat being notched to receive the respective journals for connecting the links to the slats.

10. A Venetian blind comprising a plurality of slats, links successively pivoted together in a substantially common plane, means for limiting the pivotal movement of the links relative to each other in one direction, pivot means having an axis within and extending longitudinally of one of said slats, about which the slat may pivot and having a further pivotal axis extending from and at right angles to the first mentioned axis about which a pair of said links is pivoted, whereby the pivot means may pivot with relation to the slat to maintain said further axis at right angles to the plane in which said links move.

ELZA L. KRUMM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,360,560 Morton Nov. 30, 1920 2,170,877 Simon Aug. 20, 1939 2,207,516 La Ganke July 9, 1940 2,343,813 Simon Mar. 7, 1944 2,374,591 Dunn Apr. 24, 1945 2,415,222 Spencer Feb. 4, 1947 

